Woman jumped
to her death

A YOUNG woman died after jumping from the third-floor window of her flat, an inquest heard this week.

Danielle Smith, 23, of Warrior Square, St Leonards, died from head injuries and was found lying on the ground outside the block of flats on the evening of June 6 last year.

The inquest on Tuesday (February 18) heard that Miss Smith had suffered from borderline personality disorder and mental health problems since she was 12.

She also had a long history of drug and alcohol abuse.

The hearing also heard that the mother-of-one had tried to take her own life in August 2012 by attempting to jump off a balcony.

At one time she was found by police wandering the streets with self-inflicted injuries to her wrists.

Her mother Tracy said: “Danielle was sent to several children’s homes after being referred to psychiatric services and went completely off the rails. She often ran away and was reported to the police as a missing person

“She was sectioned in August 2012 and later on that year it was apparent she still needed psychiatric help.”

The inquest heard that Miss Smith rang the ambulance service on the evening of her death and told the operator she ‘needed help’ and wanted to take her own life.

The operator tried to keep her on the line but she abruptly ended the call. Miss Smith was later found dead at around 9.15pm after police and paramedics were called.

In delivering his conclusion at the end of the inquest coroner Alan Craze said Miss Smith died after taking her own life while the balance of her mind was disturbed.